---
id: "CVE-2024-37085"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2024-37085"]
title: "VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 7.2
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "vendor"
products: [{"name": "VMware ESXi", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware cloud foundation", "fixed": ["5.2"], "affected": ">= 4.0, < 5.2", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware esxi", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 7.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware esxi", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 8.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["active-directory", "esxi", "exploited", "ransomware", "self-hosted", "vendor", "virtualization", "vmware"]
not_affected_if: ["local-users-only", "no-ad-integration"]
published_at: "2024-06-25T15:15:12+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2024-37085", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37085", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00"}]
---

# VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability

VMware ESXi has an authentication bypass where a user with sufficient Active Directory permissions can re-create the deleted AD group used for ESXi admin access, gaining full control of the host. CISA lists it as actively exploited, including in ransomware campaigns.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:VMware ESXi affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:vmware cloud foundation affected >= 4.0, < 5.2 fixed 5.2
- vendor:vmware esxi affected = 7.0 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware esxi affected = 8.0 fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the VMware-published mitigation or patch for ESXi per vendor instructions; if none is available, discontinue use of the product per CISA.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2024-37085
- 2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37085

## From the sources

VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD.

CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_